With A Little Help From My Friends

Disclaimer: Still not mine

Mikan read the books.

Or at the very least, skimmed the pictures.

Sort of.

The pictures of her baby growing in her child, although interesting, only made her cringe more at the effects it would have on her body.

And the hormones.

The. Hormones.

Which segue to morning sickness.

Whoever called morning sickness, morning sickness was a flat-out liar.

Morning sickness was morning, afternoon, evening, and whenever the baby boycotted the sight, smell, or even the mention of food.

After the first week of throwing up and her stomach was settled enough that she could glance at a piece of food without running to the nearest bathroom, Hotaru, Nobaru, Nonoka, and Anna placed Mikan right in front of a line of food.

"We'll be testing out what the baby can and cannot eat."

It was simple food.

A baked potato.

Some apple sauce in a cute blue bowl.

A bowl of egg noodles from her favorite noodle joint down the street.

A little baked chicken with browned, crispy skin.

Some of Mikan's favorites.

Except she turned green and ran to the bathroom.

Natsume held the door open for her as she immediately bowed her head into the toilet, retching the orange juice she managed to drink earlier.

He shot a sympathetic look at her through the door. And then pointedly glared at the group of women as he passed by, a box of saltines in his hand, as he followed in after his wife.

Mikan leaned against the toilet bowl, her forehead pressed against the cool seat. Her chest heaving and her throat sore and scratchy and she seriously wondered how her mother managed to do it by herself.

She heard him as Natsume settled himself by her, his back to the sink. This was quickly becoming a routine. She sighed as a familiar hand, warm and comforting, gently rubbing her neck and back. His fingers unknotting the sores and aches she didn't know she had due to her constant stress and upheavals in the bathroom.

"I still blame you," Mikan stated, leaning into his shoulder when she was sure the baby wasn't going to cause her to throw up for the time being. She resignedly accepted proffered saltine, nibbling on the edge as she buried her head against his shoulder.

"I can live with that," Natsume replied, a hand on her stomach.

SS: I updated. Yay. haha Review please! Reviews are like, pancakes to starving writers.